From smart poles, you can charge electric vehicles

Smart poles will have telecom tower infrastructure to match with the city’s aesthetic and ready to accommodate technology as 4G and 5G.TNN | January 11, 2018, 16:28 IST

How about charging your electric vehicle from an electricity pole if you’re stranded on the way? And how about browsing the internet free of cost by connecting your device to Wi-Fi hotspots on such poles? These are two of the many more services that 250 smart poles to be installed at many places in Hubballi-Dharwad will offer.

The project will be taken up under the Smart City project. Hubballi-Dharwad Smart City Limited (HDSCL) special officer, S H Naregal, told TOI that each poll is expected to cost Rs 10 lakh. “The smart poles will be installed on main roads and important places like Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) office, Nrupatunga Betta and other places. More places will be identified for installing the smart poles. The smart poles will be installed under design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) in public private partnership (PPP),” he added.

Smart poles will have telecom tower infrastructure to match with the city’s aesthetic and ready to accommodate technology as 4G and 5G. They will be energy efficient in which LED streetlights can be controlled remotely and offer Wi-Fi services. Surveillance cameras can also be installed on them. Environmental sensors to monitor air quality, temperature and humidity can also be installed. Electric vehicle charging points will promote the use of electric vehicles.

The smart poles centralize command and control centre for monitoring the implementation of smart solutions. Optical fiber can be connected for better bandwidth to Wi-Fi users and providing backhaul to telecom operators.

HDSCL sources said that unlike the conventional telecom tower, smart pole looks attractive and matches with the city’s infrastructure. It has in-built telecom power infrastructure and have batteries to eliminate diesel generator as secondary power source. The battery provides the back up during electricity outage.

The smart poles will also help the HDMC generate income. The leasing of optical fiber network to private parties will help generate income. Advertisements through billboards will also provide financial support to the local body.